Canto 1 of Dante’s Inferno lays the foundation for the entire narrative. It defines the pilgrim’s dark situation at the start of the journey, the various futile paths attempted so far, and the start of the eventual course he will embark upon. The pilgrims’ journey gains credibility via the sequences laid out in this Canto 1 and allows Dante (the Poet) to build the narrative of the passage through hell.
“In the middle of the journey of our life, I came to myself in a dark wood, for the straight way was lost” (27, 1-3). The opening line dives right into the situation for Dante the pilgrim, who is the central character of the poem. It’s very interesting that the poet uses the term “our life” to refer to a time period in his own life. The poem was composed when Dante was around 43 years old and is a dialog with his own self at the age of 35, which by biblical definitions is the at the midpoint of the 70-year journey of life. Hence the reference “our” is very intriguing, indicating the poet Dante having a dialog with his own self from the past and referring to both entities at the same time.
“Ah, how hard a thing it is to say what that wood was, so savage and harsh and strong that the thought of it renews my fear!” (27, 4-6). Having been unceremoniously banished from his beloved city of Florence, Dante finds himself in a strange, unfamiliar place. A court case lodged in absentia has resulted in a verdict of death upon return. He has wandered from place to place, taking advantage of the generosity of strangers. For Dante, who was born and raised in Florence, this phase of life feels like being lost in a scary forest. Most importantly, he feels lost at having been deprived of the work to serve the city, the people and Italy. Nothing could feel more savage and harsher.
“I looked on high and saw its shoulders clothed already with the rays of the planet that leads us straight on every path”, (27, 16-18). All is not lost as the pilgrim sees hope when he looks up. He visualizes the light over the hill like a cloak that wraps a person. It’s like he is visualizing Jesus at the top of the hill, with his cloak made up of the rays coming from the rising sun. This is the planet that guides him to do the right thing. He is determined to find a path out of this darkness and climb to the top of the hill of despair, to grasp the rays of hope emanating from the peak.
“And behold, almost at the beginning of the steep, a leopard, light and very swift, covered with spotted fur; and it did not depart from before my face but rather so impeded my way that I was at several turns turned to go back” (29, 31-36). Here begins a description of the first of the obstacles faced by the pilgrim. The Leopard (Lonza) comes in his way at the start of a steep climb. The pilgrim tries to force his way up by turning around and trying to go around by different paths, but the animal is very quick and comes right up to his face. The poet uses the vision of a Leopard to talk about the fraud and cunning nature of the enemies of the pilgrim. The various turns to avoid the beast represent Dante’s attempts at a political solution to the problem of infighting within various groups in Florence. However, every time he was unsuccessful. We find further reference to the Leopard in Canto 16, “I had a cord girding me, and with it I had thought at times to capture the leopard with the spotted hide”, (251, 106-108). The pilgrim hears about the sad situation in Florence from another nobleman, Guglielmo Borsiere. The vision of a Leopard appears to him as a representation of the fraud prevalent in his birthplace.
A Lion appears as a vision of the second obstacle facing the pilgrim. “…sight of a lion that appeared to me. He appeared to be coming against me with his head high and with raging hunger, so that the air appeared to tremble at him” (29, 44-46). Dante had seen up-close the power of invading forces. The image of a Lion was commonly associated with those in power and commanding fierce armies. Under the orders of Pope Boniface, Charles of Valois entered Florence with his army and cooperated with the Blacks in their violent coup d’état, during which the leading White Guelfs (Dante’s party) were killed or driven from the city and had their property confiscated or destroyed (9). The poet visualizes the powerful armies opposing the pilgrim’s path as the fierce Lion staring down from the hill. Even the air around is trembling with fear. The path of armed resistance is also now closed.
“And a she-wolf, that seemed laden with all cravings in her leanness and has caused many peoples to live in wretchedness, she put on me so much heaviness with the fear that came from the sight of her, that I lost hope of reaching the heights” (29, 49-54). The poet uses a she-wolf to describe the avarice that has come to grip the power in Rome. The founding story of Rome is built around the she-wolf that nursed the warriors who went on to establish the city and the empire. However, in Dante’s time papal politics had become so vile and fraught with lechery that their actions had upended the lives of many people. It’s not Dante alone that had been targeted. This truly put fear in his heart. The poet also uses proclamations from Virgil to convince the pilgrim of the evil in the heart of the she-wolf, “and she has a nature so evil and cruel that her greedy desire is never satisfied, and after feeding she is hungrier than before” (31, 97-99). Attempting to fight the power-hungry Roman papacy is also a lost cause.
“He will drive her from every town until he has put her back in Hell, whence envy first sent her forth”, (33,109-111). The imagery here is compelling. The vision of the righteous Greyhound running the lecherous She-fox out of every town in Italy in meant to bring hope to the pilgrim. The prophecy also ties directly into the upcoming description of Hell and what happens to those who indulge in lechery. “Thus for your good I think, and judge that you shall follow me, and I shall be your guide”, (33, 112-113). Virgil is making a case for the pilgrim to follow him for his own good, while interestingly not assuming that will happen. He’s letting the pilgrim be the judge of that decision.
“Poet, I beg you by that God whom you did not know…”, 33(130-131). In a unique juxtaposition, the pilgrim begs in the name of God while immediately pointing out the fact that Virgil does not know this very God as he was born before Jesus was born. “Then he moved, and I followed after him.” (33:136). It’s time to leave the dark and disconsolate place, abandon all other paths and follow Virgil through hell. The pilgrim’s journey has begun.
Works Cited
- Dante Alighieri. The Inferno. Translated by Robert Durling. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.